A STUNNING heifer from Summit Livestock is destined for South Australia after being awarded to Phoebe Eckerman as part of the 2019 Summit Most Potential Breeder Award.
Ms Eckerman of Aruma Limousins, Korunye, SA, said the close to 2400 kilometre round trip was worth it after she was named the recipient of Summit Temptress P37, a rising 15-month-old daughter of Summit Cornerstone that had earlier in the weekend been a class winner of the show.
Her stud was created in 2015 and is based on Warrawindi, Oakwood, Birubi and some North American genetics.
"The heifer will go into show team and I will promote her and the award at shows her in SA, before she goes into our breeding her and calves around two-years-old, " Ms Eckerman said.
"I am passionate about the breed and industry, so I hope to encourage more involvement and more people into the breed especially in SA.
Ms Eckerman's interest in the Limousin breed saw her named the 2018/19 Limousin Youth Ambassador after she attended her first National Limousin Junior Show at Coonabarabran in 2018.
She has also been successful with her cattle taking out most successful Limousin exhibitor at the 2018 Royal Adelaide Show and winning reserve senior champion Limousin bull at Sydney Royal this year.
"I was the young citizen of the year for the Adelaide Plains, and was recognised for putting the beef industry on the map in my area," she said.
Ms Eckerman is now set to take on the South Australia Junior Heifer Expo next week with her heifer Aruma Precious Gem.
Judged by Jasmine and Hayden Green of Summit Livestock, along with Tony Starr, Starrs Limousins, and previous award sponsor Carolyn Tooth formerly from the Longreach Limousin stud that dispersed in 2018, it was only fitting they were all involved in picking a winner after they all had a link to part of the heifer's breeding.
"The heifer is by a bull we (Summit) bred, that Carolyn bought from us and then sold last year in the Longreach dispersal and was purchased by Tony," Ms Green said.
This is the first year that Summit Livestock has sponsored the award, and they are pleased to be able to take on the opportunity as the first heifer Mr Green started the stud with was a Longreach heifer.
"It is how the stud got started, and it nice to pay it forward and give others the opportunity to start somewhere in the breed," Ms Green said.
Mr Green also has a tie to the event and it being held in Moss Vale in particular, as 18 years ago he was the chairman of the same event at this same location. This year he also has taken on a board member role and will be in charge of the youth.
The Greens will also be supporting the youth by donating 50 per cent of lot one in the Summit Livestock Spring Selection online heifer and embryo sale in October to the Limousin Youth Association (LYA).
